1.3.1. From compliance cost to competitive advantage

The clearest early lesson from the market is that transparency can win business. Larger buyers, retailers and public-sector procurers increasingly demand credible sustainability data, so a smaller supplier that can provide it stands out.

For example, the French workwear brand Coverguard, working with the carbon-data platform Carbonfact, began sharing product-level environmental information and passport links with its business customers well before any mandate applied. Its team reports that being able to demonstrate a serious data strategy helped reassure clients and secure additional sales, according to Carbonfact. Another example is presented by a danish sportswear maker Fusion Sportswear which took a similar route, co-developing passport features that make transparency part of the brand experience rather than a back-office obligation.

For an SME, moving early means the passport becomes a differentiator on the market, but only while it is still voluntary. This is an advantage that disappears once every competitor is legally required to publish the same information. Consumer research points the same way: a Certilogo survey of 1,741 shoppers found that 71% expect DPPs to increase their trust in brands, and around half anticipate greater brand loyalty.

Overall, early adoption of the DPP indicates a better positioning for companies, more visibility and more trust from their customers.

RESOURCE INSIGHT : How Fashion Brands Prepared for DPP — Carbonfact, 2026. Workwear brand Coverguard already uses its DPP as a competitive advantage, winning customers through data transparency rather than treating it as pure compliance. The textile delegated act is expected in 2027, with implementation from 2028 onward after a minimum 18-month transition period. Source: https://www.carbonfact.com/blog/policy/digital-product-passport-fashion. (ID DPP073, T3.1 Mapping Knowledge Resources)https://www.carbonfact.com/blog/policy/digital-product-passport-fashion

← PreviousNext: 1.3.2. New value across the product li...  →